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€51,000 to tackle illegal dumping

Thursday, 3 May 2018

Volunteers clean up the banks of the Grand Canal in Tullamore last Saturday as part of the National spring Clean initiative.

IT is estimated that each time someone dumps rubbish illegally it costs Offaly County Council and subsequently the tax payer €300 to clean up the site. Dumping is a growing problem in Offaly with a number of people fly tipping in scenic areas where people go to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Only recently a number of overflowing black sacks and a green bin were in dumped in a stream in Durrow which then had to be cleaned up by council staff. Government funding of €51,000 has now been granted to Offaly local authority to tackle the problem and a further €19,000 to crack down on dog fouling and graffiti. Offaly County Council say the fund will cover the costs for the clean-up of the waste at dumping black spots, installation of prevention measures to reduce the illegal dumping such as barriers, and support smart technologies to identify the culprits dumping waste on such lands. The council will focus on six project sites within the County. Three of these projects sites will be undertaken in conjunction with Laois County Council, Kildare County Council, Bord na Mona and Coillte, while the remaining three locations will be cleaned up with the assistance of the local community groups and Offaly County Council. Work will commence shortly and it is envisaged that these sites will be complete by early September, 2018.''Offaly County Council say they will be concentrating this year on a forceful public awareness and education campaign informing the public of how they can dispose of their waste in the correct manner within the county, taking actions to target the illegal waste collectors and to work in co-ordination with other state agencies to discourage illegal dumping within the midland region.“The idea is to develop an integrated and effective combined approach with local authorities, communities and other state agencies,'' said Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy. “Under the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the Anti-Dumping Initiative funding will empower people across Offaly to take action against those in society who commit criminal acts against their communities by wilfully and irresponsibly dumping their waste and spoiling the most valuable asset we have - our natural environment,'' she said. “Littering is environmental sabotage but money alone cannot solve our litter problems. It takes a behavioural change across the board and I am confident the awareness campaigns that will be funded through this scheme at a community level in Offaly will have a real impact."“I want to pay tribute to the passion, energy and dedication of hundreds of local community and voluntary groups, schoolchildren and teachers who are taking their civic responsibilities seriously every single day here in Offaly through the many anti-litter initiatives that they drive across our communities for the preservation of our environment," concluded Deputy Corcoran Kennedy.